Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    92

    Drone with integrated beacon

    A team developed an automated avalanche drone with integrated beacon. Just saw this on Swiss TV (sorry, German only).

    https://www.srf.ch/news/p/eine-drohn...source=srf_app

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Banff
    Posts
    22,192
    translation with goggle

    A drone should save lives

    In an avalanche, time is the enemy. The "Powderbee" could help to locate avalanche victims faster.

    Author: Fabio Flepp

    Today, 08:41
    Share on Facebook (external link, popup)
    Share on Twitter (external Link, Popup)
    Show 3 comments
    This article was shared 5 times.
    01:26
    Drone should locate avalanche victims faster
    Legend: Video drone should play avalanche victims faster places. Running time 01:26 minutes.
    From SRF News from 16.02.2019.

    The "Powderbee" fits in every backpack. In avalanche emergency just press a button. The drone recognizes the signal of the conventional avalanche transceiver (LVS). It flies autonomously and systematically over the avalanche cone. By landing, she indicates where a buried person is under the snow. The comrades can start directly with the fine search and go faster to the actual rescue.
    drone
    Legend: «Powderbee» The drone weighs just under 500g and fits in every backpack. Bluebird Mountain
    Developed out of self-interest

    The inventors of the drone are enthusiastic snow athletes. In avalanche courses, they learned how conventional comrade rescue works. But they were not completely satisfied with the learning. "We doubted if we could do it in a stressful situation. That's when we came up with the idea: Could not a part of it be automated? "Recalls Konstantin Kollar, co-founder of the startup.
    12:23
    Konstantin Kollar: "The drone flies systematically, precisely and finds the buried person faster than a person with the avalanche transceiver."
    Legend: Video Konstantin Kollar: "The drone flies systematically, precisely and finds the buried person faster than a person with the avalanche transceiver." Running time 00:23 minutes.
    From news clip from 11.02.2019.

    Because time is the biggest enemy in an emergency. The chance of recovering buried victims decreases rapidly after 15 minutes.
    Lawinote Switzerland
    Open the person box

    The development of the prototype took three years. The startup was already able to fly in a first success. At the largest sporting goods fair in Europe, the founders won the prize for one of the most promising new developments.
    Chance and skepticism

    Potential customers of the "Powderbee" are snow sportspeople who move off the piste. For participants of an avalanche prevention course in Davos, the drone attracts interest as well as skepticism. The drone is a good thing, it can save lives, says participant Linus-Laurin Niedermann. Fabienne Fuhrmann appreciates that investments in the development of new products are made. However, Ruedi Gamper fears that freeriders with a drone in the backpack in false security.
    12:16
    Mountain guide Stefan Bodenmann: "You lose most of your time shoveling, not searching."
    Legend: Video mountain guide Stefan Bodenmann: "Most of the time you lose while shoveling, not in the search." Play. Running time 00:16 minutes.
    From news clip from 11.02.2019.

    Mountain guide Stefan Bodenmann sees the potential to locate victims quickly. Everyone still has to master the WMS. When saving time, he remains skeptical: "The main problem is the excavation of the buried. I lose most of my time there. "
    Drones for professional mountain rescue

    Safety expert Ueli Mosimann records the emergency statistics for the Swiss Alpine Club SAC. He doubts that drones will soon be standard equipment for ski tourers. It was an additional, sensitive, technical device that needed to be carried up the mountain. Nevertheless, he sees great potential in development: "For professional mountain rescue this is certainly the thing of the future. The drone is accurate and can shorten the search by a few minutes. "
    12:07
    SAC safety expert Ueli Mosimann: "This is the future for professional mountain rescue."
    Legend: Video SAC security expert Ueli Mosimann: "This is the future for professional mountain rescue." Running time 00:07 minutes.
    From news clip from 11.02.2019.

    The "Powderbee" is not yet available for purchase. For the serial production an investor is missing. The developers hope that they will come into the market next winter season. At the same time, they continue to tinker. Her dream: A drone, which is catapulted out of the backpack during the avalanche decline and directly follows the signal of the snow sportsman. Despite all the euphoria, however, co-founder Kollar warns: «The principle remains despite the drone. The safest departure is when no avalanche arrives. »
    Avalanche prevention courses are booming
    Open the person box
    05:10
    Anew avalanche rescue - the «Powderbee»
    Legend: Video avalanche rescue thought again - the «Powderbee» play. Running time 05:10 minutes.
    From 10vor10 from 15.02.2019. ,


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    578
    Now they need to develop the backpack that transforms into an automated excavator...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    The Bull City
    Posts
    14,003
    There are probably trade offs with the drone. Typically, drones that are good at flying in higher winds tend to be heavier. Also wondering about battery performance in colder temps..
    Go that way really REALLY fast. If something gets in your way, TURN!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Somewhere else
    Posts
    5,668
    Quote Originally Posted by SumJongGuy View Post
    There are probably trade offs with the drone. Typically, drones that are good at flying in higher winds tend to be heavier. Also wondering about battery performance in colder temps..
    Good point on battery life.

    Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
    Goal: ski in the 2018/19 season

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Sandy, Utah
    Posts
    14,410
    Quote Originally Posted by SumJongGuy View Post
    There are probably trade offs with the drone. Typically, drones that are good at flying in higher winds tend to be heavier. Also wondering about battery performance in colder temps..
    What about deployment time? I don't know about this one but some take a few minutes to assemble before flight. Might be great in resorts and yurp where can be kept assembled at the ready. Also filming movies, comps, sar, etc. Sure doesnt look like a bc tool. Neat as hell though.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Not Brooklyn
    Posts
    8,313
    Quote Originally Posted by Skidog View Post
    Might be great in resorts and yurp where can be kept assembled at the ready. Also filming movies, comps, sar, etc. Sure doesnt look like a bc tool. Neat as hell though.
    Exactly. Could be a powerful professional tool in the right setting. As a consumer product it could be dangerous.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    50 miles E of Paradise
    Posts
    15,540
    What happens when another party in the vicinity didn’t switch beacons to search mode and the drone starts stalking them instead of searching for the victim?

    Several resorts use quadcopters for search and recon - in good weather. Windy conditions are tough on a 1-1.5 lb aircraft.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Aloft
    Posts
    4,071
    QUOTE=TBS;5601180]What happens when another party in the vicinity didn’t switch beacons to search mode and the drone starts stalking them instead of searching for the victim?
    [/QUOTE]

    Well I would assume you would find out pretty quick who didnt turn their beacons off as the drone buzzes immediately to them. Also in the application of a professional setting I don't see that happening.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    50 miles E of Paradise
    Posts
    15,540
    I’m talking about situation where there’s multiple parties spread over an area. Parties B,C&D have no idea somebody in Party A got buried, so they aren’t gonna switch to search.

    How do you keep the drone from homing in on these folks?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Aloft
    Posts
    4,071
    I think its been pretty well established that this is a dumb/worthless idea for the individual BC traveler but could be useful in a professional setting. I meant that by the time this thing would be deployed I would assume parties A, B, C, and D would be identified by SAR or ski patrol and the fact that they were still beeping likely wouldnt happen. Let alone, if it was in bounds, everyone in those individual parties probably wouldnt be beeping anyway. Not to mention if their signals were being picked up all these people would be within 200ft of the drone anyway, so within earshot.
    Last edited by Soups; 02-21-2019 at 09:56 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •